It’s not everyday you find a show as interesting as FLCL. Spelled out it’s “Fooly Cooly”. The original anime series was directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki, and written by Yoji Enokido. It was produced by Hiroki Sato and Nishizawa Masatomo. It’s a very short anime with only 6 episodes lasting 23 minutes each.

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Years ago, manga artist/writer Rumiko Takahashi, creator of some of the most popular series on both sides of the Pacific (including the legendary Ranma 1/2), created her most ambitious work. It was the culmination of all her talents for comedy, romance, action and horror, a feudal fairy tale following the story of a girl thrown back in time, teaming with a half-demon boy on a journey to reassemble a magic jewel. That manga (and eventual anime TV series) was Inuyasha, and became possibly Takahashi’s greatest work. Due to catching up with the manga, the TV series had to end prematurely. Now, we finally get the conclusion in Inuyasha The Final Act. Is it worth it?

I feel the need to note that what I’m reviewing is the second DVD set, consisting of episodes 14 to 26 of this series. At this point in the series, the villainous Naraku has the nearly completed Shikon Jewel. Inuyasha, Kagome and their allies, the little fox demon Shippou, lecherous monk Miroku and experienced demon hunter Sango are racing against him, and others, to find the remaining shards. All the plot lines from the entire saga reach their conclusion point as the final conflict comes, and everyone will face their greatest challenge.

Which is all well and good, assuming that like me, you know who any of these people are, what the Shikon Jewel is, and what is actually going on already. Honestly, that’s probably the only major flaw in this series. If you’re not already a fan of Inuyasha, this is probably not the way to get into the franchise. Still, I have to stress that the quality of the series is really good. The animation is great, mixing both hand-drawn animation with computer animated effects, the music is great, and the voice work in both languages is really well done. And I have to add, the final episode may be one of my favorite final episodes in anime ever.

Features-wise, it’s rather slim pickings, with only an original Japanese trailer and cast credits in English.

Inuyasha the Final Act DVD set 2 doesn’t have much in extras, and is not for people new to the series. What it has going for it is a quality series, that has such a great conclusion, and a satisfying finish to a beloved series. It’s definitely one that fans shouldn’t miss.

One of the great classics of anime among western fans is the sci-fi comedy Tenchi Muyo. This is one of the first anime I ever really got into when I was an early teen. And after decades, the original OVA (Original Video Animation) series is being re-released on Blu-Ray. Does this classic hold up? Read the full story

I got my hands on an early review copy of the upcoming anime series Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, and let me tell you, I was blown away. Still to this moment, when I think about the entire series, I picture it as an absolutely perfect show for Adult Swim, if it ever gets the chance. Trust me when I say that viewers new to the series will drop their jaws. The series is vulgar, naughty, dirty, raunchy, shocking, and any other number of adjectives that describe how what you hear and see will blow your mind. With your usual anime title, you expect a grand adventure and a few laughs. Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt doesn’t hold back from cursing, battles, sexual remarks and innuendo, and more.

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When it comes to cartoons, I’m never too old to sit down for a few hours and watch some of the classics I grew up with, like Pokemon, Digimon, Dragon Ball Z, and more. Today marks the release of a new cartoon on the Hub Network, titled Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters. Now, when I first heard of it, I immediately thought of Yu-Gi-Oh. I was lucky enough to get an advance viewing of the first episode of the series today, and I was shocked. It’s nothing like it, and not about a card game. Keep reading for more information. Read the full story

Dragon Ball Z is nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. I first experienced it in high school, but if I had been of an elementary school age, I can guarantee that along with pretending to be superheroes and G.I. Joes on the playground during recess, we would have thrown in the Z Fighters. I’d have run around that playground shouting Kamehameha and arguing the effects of my attacks until I was blue in the face. Of course, doing that in high school would have branded me as an even larger nerd than I already was, so it’s probably for the best that I refrained. Read the full story

I moved to California during the summer of 1997, the summer immediately prior to my freshman year of high school. My bedroom was pretty awesome back then, with a built in corner desk for my computer, and a great entertainment area for my TV and consoles. Some of my fondest memories in that room happened when everyone else was asleep, and the lights were off. Yes, a young teenager, alone in a dark room with access to the Internet and a TV. It should be obvious that I did what anyone in my situation would have done: watched TV, hung out on IRC, and played video games. Read the full story

My path into anime and manga fandom was a very twisty one. But if there was one that I had to say was my major push into it, it’d be Yoshiki Takaya’s comic Kyoshoku Soko Guyver or Bio-booter Armor Guyver. This long running comic series (started in 1985 and still ongoing) was a love letter to classic Japanese live action transforming heroes like Kamen Rider and Kikaider, capturing all the drama, horror and action of those in a fresh way. It’s been adapted before as a straight-to-video animated film, a straight-to-video animated series, and two live-action American films. This is the most recent adaption, and is one of my favorites.

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I was a child of the arcades. I would spend my time and money gladly and without hesitation at any one of a number of arcades on any one of a number of cabinets. X-Men, Gauntlet, Time Crisis, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more have all played their part in draining me of the limited funds I had in my childhood. One of the games most responsible for my lack of cold hard coinage in my youth was The Simpsons. The first video game ever made for The Simpsons was made as an arcade cabinet by Konami in the first years of the 1990s, a decade very near and dear to my heart. I grew up with The Simpsons, both on TV and in the arcades. Now, it’s made its way to XBLA, and will be coming to PSN this coming Tuesday. Has Konami done the unthinkable and tampered with one of the greatest arcade games ever? Read the full story

Can you sing Soft Kitty? The catchy tune that Sheldon’s mother, and later, Sheldon’s neighbor Penny, would sing to him when he was sick has become yet another in a long line of memorable sitcom songs based on cats, following in the august footsteps of Friends’ quirky ditty, “Smelly Cat,” and…well, there’s probably another weird song about cats from another sitcom. Just because I don’t know about it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist somewhere. Read the full story